Dorset Council has given an update on preparations for its new Local Plan following its Options consultation.

The council has now ruled out a number of sites which were included in the consultation, following contact from the landowners.

Whole sites to be removed are:

• Cherry Cottage Farm in Beaminster
• Portland Hospital
• Land north of Washpond Lane and west of Darkie Lane in Swanage
• Land at south of A35 at Higher Eype

Sites with partial removal are:

• Land on the north side of Hayward Lane in Child Okeford
• Land south of Deans Drove in Lytchett Matravers
• Land west of A350 at Sturminster Marshall
• Land west of Glue Hill in Sturminster Newton
• Land to the west of Albany Drive at Three Legged Cross

More landowners may also contact the council to ask for sites to be withdrawn.

The council said: “We invited landowners to submit land they considered to be developable to us, but we were also required to consider other opportunities that we had not been informed about.

“During the consultation, Dorset Council was notified about a number of privately owned option sites where development would not be acceptable.”

The council is currently reviewing responses and will prepare a final draft of the Local Plan for consultation.

Its timescale, as set out in its Options consultation document is:

• Publication of the draft local plan for comment – August 2026
• Submission of the local plan, comments made and supporting evidence to the Planning Inspectorate – December 2026
• Public examination before inspector – Mid 2027
• Adoption if the found sound – Late 2027

Ultimately, adoption of the new Local Plan looks set to be two years away.

We believe that the there must be an appropriately ambitious Local Plan which is capable of delivering the homes and development that is so critical to allow communities, businesses and people to prosper in Dorset.

Although these sites have been removed, the council will have to consider substantial releases of greenfield land. Most notably following the changes to the NPPF, the council should be looking to focus upon ‘grey belt’ sites, being the weaker areas of the green belt where development is deemed appropriate.

Careful consideration will also need to be given to sites previously rejected or left out of previous Local Plans.

Please do get in touch with us to find out more about how the proposals will affect your plans or project.